Sherlock Holmes e a Voz do Terror

While the pleasures of watching BASIL RATHBONE and NIGEL BRUCE play those world famous consulting detectives is undeniable fun, the real enjoyment of SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR is it's rich noir atmosphere. The stand out player in this UNIVERSAL programmer is cinematographer ELWOOD "WOODY" BREDELL. Bredell had a nearly 30 year career which began during the silents, and he really had an eye for composition and lighting. Much of SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR is shot at night, or in low light circumstances, and really displays the near lost art of high contrast, hard, hot light cinematography at it's artful best. As SHERLOCK HOLMES films go, THE VOICE OF TERROR is entertaining, but as an experience of "film noir" this film could be a minor classic.

Any criticism today of the plot's credibility has to be put in the context of the reason the film was made in the first place. Simply it was a jingoistic, morale boosting piece of theatre for the film going public, by 1942 ravaged by the blitz in London, rationing and the fear of Lord Haw Haw broadcasts.

Sure the plot is thin, Evelyn Ankers plays an East End waif with more than a touch of Southern American drawl and the red herrings are obvious.

That said Rathbone remains the pinnacle Sherlock Holmes and Bruce the lovable bumbling side kick. Great entertainment.

After two features produced at Twentieth Century Fox in 1939, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson moved to Universal Studios in 1942. Like the original Conan Doyle stories, the two Fox films were set in the Victorian era, but when the master sleuth and his side kick worked at Universal, the plots were moved to the then-present day, which was World War II. "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror," the first of the contemporary features, is heavy on British patriotism and anti-Nazi propaganda; the audience is even advised to "Buy War Bonds" after the end credits have faded. In a script adapted from Conan Doyle's story, "His Last Bow," classified information from the Inner Council is finding its way to the Nazis and has led to train crashes, bombings, and other sabotage in war-town Britain. The Council, against the wishes of some members, enlists the help of Holmes and Watson to track down the leak.

Although often expounding patriotism and anti-Nazi warnings, Basil Rathbone always remains in character and fine form as Holmes; his iconic performance is unerring and solid. Nigel Bruce is equally fine as Doctor Watson, who ably supported his friend and provided comic relief through 14 movies. While the film's low budget is evident, the cast is full of pros and boasts some excellent character actors beyond the reliable Rathbone and Bruce; Bruce Denny, Montagu Love, and Henry Daniell among others show the talent and dedication to craft that kept them consistently employed in dozens of classic and not-so-classic movies. Elwood Bredell, the cinematographer, lensed the film with skill; the inky black shadows of Limehouse, the foggy streets of London, the crisp closeups of Rathbone and Evelyn Ankers, the female lead, elevate the film's visuals to near-A-picture status.

While far from the best in the Sherlock Holmes series and a step down from the two preceding entries at Fox, "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror" has enough moments and assets to satisfy Holmes fans. The propaganda and message are heavy handed, dated, and only pad the running time; the screeching voice of terror grates on the ear; and experienced watchers of who-dunnits will easily pick out the villain. However, the acting is top notch, the photography first rate, and the fun of watching Rathbone and Bruce solve a crime is unmatched.

When the sinister Voice of Terror taunts England over the radio with news of acts of sabotage against the Allies, the Inner Council of British Intelligence has no choice but to turn to England's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone). Holmes, with help from his criminal underworld connections, investigates and uncovers the true identity of the Voice of Terror.

After two fine films at Fox and a three-year gap, the Sherlock Holmes series movies to Universal. The change of studios also brings with it the updating of Holmes to the 1940s, where he understandably spends the early entries in the series battling Nazis. This change upsets many purists, who already have problems with the Rathbone series for its portrayal of Watson as comic relief and its deviations from the books. If you're one of those, I doubt anything I can say will alter your opinion. I don't happen to be bothered by the changes. I actually enjoy the movies more because of them.

As in his two films at Fox, Rathbone here is the perfect Holmes. One of my favorite scenes from any of his Holmes films occurs in this one when Holmes and Watson go to a seedy pub frequented by criminals. One of the criminals, a particularly frightening thug Sherlock put away years before, approaches the duo and we're led to believe any second now he will try to exact some violent revenge on Holmes. I won't spoil how the scene ends but pay attention to the way Rathbone plays this entire scene. It's wonderful stuff. I would be remiss in doing any kind of review for Voice of Terror without mentioning Rathbone's hairstyle. For some reason they decided to give him a rather silly-looking haircut where the hair on the sides is combed forward. It's hard not to chuckle when you first see it. Thankfully he wears a hat for a lot of the picture.

For his part, Nigel Bruce is a great sidekick. He has less to do here than some of the other movies but, as always, he's pleasant and fun to watch. The supporting cast is great, with the likes of Henry Daniell, Reginald Denny, and Thomas Gomez giving solid turns. Special mention goes to Evelyn Ankers, who gives one of her most different performances here. She plays the wife of a criminal killed for helping Holmes who then agrees to help the detective herself. Not for the sake of law & order but for the love of country. Her best scene is when she gives a rousing speech to her fellow criminals and lowlifes, enlisting them to help Holmes and England.

This is a solid start to the Universal Holmes series. Not the best but very entertaining nonetheless. Reading some of the older reviews here is a bit stomach-churning. Jeez, you'd think these people WANTED the Nazis to win! They seem so bitter and angry over the film being pro-England during World War II. What's this world coming to when people hate patriotism and nationalism so much they gripe about it more than the Nazis? The fact that most of these reviewers identify themselves as being from England or America makes the whole thing doubly sad.

Basil Rathbone's third appearance as Arthur Conan Doyle's eccentric sleuth and the first in Universal's series of 12 films in which the master detective is transplanted from Victorian England to the modern era in which the films were made. "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror" was not that unusual in that, until 20th Century Fox produced "The Hound of the Baskervilles" in 1939, most previous Holmes films had also placed our hero in contemporary society. It was not until this film, however, that the contemporary aspects were given such strong emphasis.

There's no Moriarty on hand this time, as Holmes and Watson (played, of course, by Nigel Bruce) join Britain in battling the Nazis. It's all a little awkward, but there is some fine atmosphere, especially in a scene in which Holmes and Watson visit a seedy pub in search of information. The cast is good, with Thomas Gomez as a very effective villain, Evelyn Ankers as the proverbial bad girl with a heart of gold, and, as a diplomat, the wickedly suave Henry Daniell who would return to play Professor Moriarty in "The Woman in Green." Best of all is Rathbone, who is razor sharp despite a very peculiar hairstyle that looks like it belongs in a gladiator flick.

The series improved considerably once Roy William Neill took over as director with the second film, and later entries that did not emphasize the "modern" concept, like "Spider Woman" and, most particularly, "The Scarlet Claw," are far superior, but "Voice of Terror" is still an entertaining show, perfect viewing on a rainy, fog shrouded night.